Calculating Digital Signage Screen Distance & Height

Before investing time and money into a digital signage platform, make sure you take the time to plan proper screen placement. After all, if your screens aren’t easy to see, they won’t work as hard for you. Consider your audience, the screens’ purpose, and the amount of daylight the screens have to contend with in order for viewers to see your content clearly.

Today we’ll cover the appropriate height for your screens, and the space between screens and the viewer to ensure adequate viewing distance. For other location and site placement considerations, read Digital Signage Location Planning Tips.

How High Should I Place My Digital Screens?

First consider your viewer’s distance from the screen, which will vary based on your industry. For instance, banks and credit unions typically place screens behind the teller line. They could be 10’ or more away from the viewer. Healthcare practices may place digital screens in a small waiting room, resulting in a shorter viewing distance. Manufacturing facilities often place screens on the plant floor to communicate important safety information to employees; these screens could be 20’ away or more. Corporate settings and office spaces place screens in employee break areas and common areas.

Why is Field of Attention Important to Digital Signage Placement?

Field of attention, also called attention zone, is the area where your viewer’s eyes land when they look straight ahead. Why is field of attention important to digital signage placement? It’s simple: your message won’t be as effective if you place your screens too high or too low based on where your typical viewer stands.

These are the fields of attention for three different viewing distances:

• From 5 feet away, the field of attention is within 2 feet of eye level
• From 10 feet away, the field of attention is within 4 feet of eye level
• From 20 feet away, the field of attention is within 8.5 feet of eye level

Consider the average viewer’s field of attention in order to determine the best height for your screens. Assume your average viewer is 5’6” tall, and their eyes are approximately 4 inches from the top of their head. The screen’s center should be mounted approximately 5’2” from the floor for a 5-foot viewing distance.

The farther the screen is from the viewer, the larger the field of attention. In other words, the farther away the screen, the more leeway you have to determine the appropriate screen mounting height.

Other Screen Placement Considerations

Also, think about the messages you will display on your screens. For example, are they mostly promotional moving graphics, or will you use a lot of text for educational content which viewers will want to read? Screen placement is more important for text-based content so that it can be read comfortably.

The ideal location for your digital screens is an area where there are few items competing for your viewer’s attention. For maximum impact, choose an empty wall or an area where there is at least 5 feet of empty space on all sides of the screen.

Conclusion

Choosing the right height for your digital screens is easy once you know the distance between your viewer and the screen. When you choose a full-service digital signage partner like Kiosk & Display we are by your side every step of the way, helping you make the best site planning decisions for your business and location. If you have questions, schedule a meeting and we’ll be happy to help you with every aspect of your digital signage journey.